Last Updated on June 13, 2024
This quick& easy Vegan Congee Recipe is so good, you will want to have it every day. Simply dump all the ingredients in one pot, boiling for 20 minutes with no stir!!
This recipe is indeed the best emergency rice porridge for every occasion. Set up the timer, come back after 20 minutes, and the heart-warming congee is ready to serve!
Vegan Congee Recipe (One Pot Meal)
Vegan congee is a rice porridge that is traditionally made with water, rice, and salt. It can be made with any type of rice, but white rice is most commonly used.
It is a simple and delicious dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is also a great way to use up leftover rice.
I love eating a bowl of hot congee for breakfast. Sometimes I wanna have congee before going to work, but I don’t have any leftover rice in the fridge.
Umm…well…I forgot how exactly I came up with this one-pot no-stir vegan congee recipe, but I guess that’s because I like to dump everything in one pot, set up the timer on my phone, then go brush my teeth and equip myself for work in 20 minutes…
When the timer beeps, come back to the kitchen, have a big bowl of rice congee then off to work.
This is not a traditional Chinese Congee recipe as I use Japanese Kombu Tsuyu (kombu soup base) as the instant broth. But, as long as it tastes nice, who cares?
P.S.: The 20 minutes of cooking time from cold water only applies to the 3 servings recipe. When you multiply the recipe, the larger amount of water takes longer to heat up.
If you multiply the recipe, the total cooking time will be a further 10 minutes after the liquid starts boiling.
What’s Congee (Rice porridge, Jook)
Congee is a rice porridge that is popular in many Asian cultures. It can be made with different kinds of rice and often includes any type of protein, vegetable, and other ingredients.
It is usually eaten for breakfast or as a light meal, and is often considered to be a comfort food.
In Asian countries. When eaten as plain rice congee, it’s often served with some side dishes. When adding some ingredients such as protein, vegetables, and flavorings, it’s mostly served as a main meal on its own.
There are many different variations and names for it across Asia. Such as Congee, Conjee, Juk, Jook, White porridge, Dilute Rice, Zhou…etc.
Despite its many names, it is usually a thick porridge of rice largely disintegrated after prolonged cooking in water or broth.
In mainland China, congee was made with whatever grains were available locally: millet, cornmeal, barley…etc.
Back in the old days, there was a saying” Rich men eat rice, poor men eat jook.” Rice porridge (congee) was classified as ” The poor man’s meal.” By using a relatively small amount of rice, adding lots of water to pump up the volume in order to feed the whole family.
Therefore, traditionally, it’s kinda a bad omen if you eat congee during Chinese New Year.
Ingredients You will need
For this delicious vegan congee, you only need a few ingredients. Let’s have a look at what we need!
- Rice (rinsed)– White rice only. It’s better to use medium or short grain type of rice for congee, most of the time I use Jasmine Rice (when I don’t have broken rice) and Broken Rice. When using broken rice, you need to add more water( broken rice is rice grains that were broken in the milling process, and sorted out. It has a different, softer texture from “unbroken” rice, and absorbs flavors more easily. It cooks much faster.) P.S. Don’t use Basmati or long-grain rice, they just taste not right in congee.
- Kombu Tsuyu (Kombu Soup base)– I use this soup base a lot when I need an instant soup, noodles soup, or congee. Kombu Tsuyu is a concentrated soup made from kombu and soy sauce.
- Crispy fried shallots– Crispy fried Shallots are usually found in the condiments section or aisle of Asian grocery stores or supermarkets. They are usually made from Red onions or French shallots. It has a satisfying crunch and a sweet oniony, salty taste.
- Vegetable Broth + Water– Pick a neutral-flavored Vegetable broth with low sodium as we gonna add more seasonings to it. Or, if you have time, why not make your own? Check this article How to make Asian-Style Vegetable Stock.
- Celery+Cabbage+Scallion(Spring Onion)– Finely chopped celery (you can peel celery skin to get rid of the fibrous skin), Cabbage, and Scallion (Green Onion/Spring Onion). Surprisingly, these three vegetables go so well in vegan congee!
Vegan/ Vegetarian Congee Toppings
- Crispy Fried Onion– Extra crispy fried onion on the congee. Some store-bought fried onions are made with wheat flour when frying, and others are made with corn flour to keep them crispy. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, you’ll need to check the ingredient labels before purchasing.
- Red Chili Flakes– This is optional. You can skip it if you don’t eat spicy food.
- Scallion (spring onion/green onion) -Thinly sliced fresh scallion is a must-have!
P.S. If you like your congee fancier, get creative! Shredded Nori, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Saute some sliced mushrooms, tofu, and vegetables, Grilled Bok Choy, Pickled cucumber, pickled chilies, or Daikon Radish.
How to make + Video
- 1. Grab a heavy-bottomed large pot (or a deep enough pot), add Vegetable Broth, Water, Kombu Tsuyu, Crispy Fried Onion, Finely Chopped Celery, Cabbage, and Ground White Pepper.
- 2. Wash the rice at least three times and drain, then add the rice into the saucepan.
- 3. Put the lid on, turn on the gas on medium-high heat, and set up a timer for 20 minutes. Bring it to a boil and Bring it to a boil and turn the heat down. Let it simmer/soft boil, not a vigorous, bubbling boil.
- 4. After 20 minutes, open the lid, use a ladle quickly stir then serve. Topped with crispy fried onion, thinly sliced scallion, and red chili flakes (optional). Feel free to add other toppings you like.
How to make the quick congee creamier?
I received feedback from readers asking about how to make congee thicken and creamier.
Here is a quick shortcut for you. You can use an immersion blender to give the cooked congee a final whiz-up!
You can adjust the blender time according to how creamy you like it. In Asia, we often feed babies and the elderly puree-like congee to prevent them from choking.
FAQ
If you’re looking to cut down on calories, congee may be a good option for you. This rice porridge is a staple in Chinese cuisine, and it’s traditionally made with white rice.
However, you can also make it with brown rice, which is more nutritious. So if you’re trying to lose weight or just eat healthier, adding congee to your diet may be a good idea. Just be sure to watch your portion sizes and toppings, as they can add up quickly.
There are many reasons why congee is so comforting. First, the act of cooking the rice porridge is soothing and calming.
Second, the warm temperature of the congee can be comforting on a cold day or when you are feeling under the weather.
Third, the plain flavor of congee allows you to add any toppings or seasonings that you desire, making it a versatile and customizable dish.
When it comes to health benefits, rice and congee are similar. Both are low in calories and fat and high in carbs and fiber.
There are some key differences. Rice is a good source of vitamins and minerals, while congee is packed with antioxidants.
So, which one should you choose? It really depends on your individual needs and preferences.
If you’re looking for a nutrient-rich option, go for rice. But if you’re looking for something lighter on the stomach, congee is the way to go.
A study published in the journal Nutrients found that eating congee may help to increase the number of good bacteria in the gut.
The study involved 21 healthy adults who ate either congee or a control food for four weeks.
At the end of the study, those who had eaten congee had higher levels of several types of good bacteria in their guts, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Hope you enjoy this vegan congee!
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- King Oyster Mushroom Stir Fry with Cashew Nuts
Quick & Easy Vegan Congee Recipe(Rice Porridge/Jook)
Equipment
- 1 a heavy-based deep saucepan( or a deep enough pot)